Shadow of Steel: Holiday Memories
by Sprocket
Summary: A look back at Nora Taylor (my FSS)'s previous Christmas Eves - the one prior to the nuclear bombs being dropped, and the one directly after. Set in the 'Shadow of Steel' universe (my other FO4 fanfic). I may continue this later on in the future, if all goes well.


A/N: Urgh, so (probably unsurprisingly) this 'ficlet' was supposed to be completed BEFORE Christmas - but I'm a new mom, and started a new job in early November (and quickly, temporarily became the only person in my department - before my training was complete!), and... unfortunately, a LOT of stuff happened at once, and combined with the holidays, I've pretty much had NO time to myself. I still have a BUNCH of fanfics to read and catch up on, AND finish the next chapter of 'Shadow of Steel'. GAH!

All the Christmas-y stuff at that time was inspiring me to do a little 'offshoot' of my fic, and I decided to provide a little more backstory for Nora.

I really hope you all enjoy it, and if it's liked enough I may do more in the future! (Maybe something with a certain brooding Elder? ...Eh?) Thanks a MILLION go to my beta reader 'Scorpio Skies', without whom I would never had gotten this far in my writing. You are absolutely the best! ❤

And as always, kudos and especially feedback are GREATLY appreciated! ::puppy eyes::

* * *

 _December 24th, 2076_

"Lucy! Can you come help set the table please?"

Daydreaming cut short, the young girl blinked and sighed as she looked away from the lit Christmas tree, the carols emanating from the radio having momentarily distracted her. 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' was currently playing, and it was making her a little sad. It reminded her of her uncle, who'd been unable to come home in time for the holiday. She glanced over at her aunt sitting in the armchair by the living room window, who was watching snowflakes fall slowly to the ground with a melancholy expression on her face.

Lucy frowned, knowing how much her aunt missed and worried about her uncle whenever he was away. She wished there was something she could do... she hated seeing her aunt unhappy, especially at Christmastime.

Heading into the kitchen, she took some plates from a stack on the kitchen counter and turned to her mother, who was finishing up dinner at the stove.

"Mom... when is Uncle Nate coming back?"

Her mother stopped stirring and looked down at Lucy with a small smile on her face.

"He may be back sooner than you think, sweetheart," she replied. "Would you grab the silverware when you're done?"

Lucy balanced the plates on one hand and stacked some forks and knives on top of them.

"Aunt Nora is so sad," she murmured. "I really wish we could cheer her up."

"Don't worry honey," her mom responded, sounding almost unusually cheerful. "I have a feeling she'll perk up again _real_ soon."

Lucy peered at her mom curiously and wondered what she'd meant by that. Suddenly, she heard the metallic squeak of the front door knob and turned to see the door sliding open.

"Daddy's back!" she exclaimed. She hurried to the dining room table and lifted the heavy stack of plates and silverware onto it, then practically flew into her father's arms as soon as he walked in the house.

"Woah there, Luce!" her father smiled. He hoisted her up and chuckled as she quickly brushed some loose snowflakes off of his coat and hat. "I wasn't gone _that_ long... only a couple of hours. Did you really miss me that much?"

Lucy's face fell a little. "...Aunt Nora's sad," she told him dejectedly. To her surprise, her father only grinned wider.

"Well, we'll soon fix _that_ ," he replied with mysterious wink. He lowered Lucy back down and removed his hat and coat in a flash. Meanwhile, Lucy's mother poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Bill - is everything all set?" she asked in a hushed voice. Her husband turned to her and nodded, making an 'okay' signal with his hand.

"All systems go, Debra!" he beamed, then looked down at Lucy. "Come on peanut, I'll help you finish setting the table."

Lucy might have been young, but she knew when her parents were acting weird. She narrowed her eyes and was about to ask her parents what was going on when her aunt emerged from the living room. She had a smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Bill! Good to see you, Merry Christmas!" Nora greeted, pulling him into her arms. He hugged her back and smiled.

"Come on 'blondie' - give Luce and I a hand, will you?" he teased. "Deb should just about finished with dinner."

Nora rolled her eyes at his favorite nickname for her and smiled. She distributed the plates around the table while Lucy and Bill placed the utensils.

Just as they finished, Debra emerged from the kitchen carrying a roasted turkey on a silver platter. She set it down in the center of the table, amongst the other dishes already there.

"All right, I think we're all set here!" she said cheerfully. She removed her oven mitts and apron and tossed them back onto the kitchen counter, then ran a hand through her long chestnut hair, smoothing it back over her shoulders. "If there's nothing else-"

She was interrupted by a knock at the front door.

"...Who could _that_ be?" Nora wondered. "Peter's not due here until tomorrow."

"Ohh, you know your brother..." Bill replied, amusement present in his voice. "Does whatever the heck he feels like. That rapscallion!" He and Debra snickered as Nora raised an eyebrow questioningly at them.

"I'll get it!" Lucy called out, already halfway to the door. She opened it wide and squealed at the figure standing on the other side. "...Santa! Mom, Dad - It's Santa Claus!"

"Merry Christmas!" a deep voice called out as a man in a Santa suit stepped into the house. Nora laughed in surprise as Debra and Bill grinned at each other. The man knelt down by Lucy.

"Have you been a good little girl this year?"

Lucy opened her mouth to reply, then stopped and stared at the Santa for a moment. Her eyes slowly narrowed.

"...You're not Santa..." she replied, wrinkling her nose. She examined him up and down, then pointed accusingly at his waist. "The real Santa's _much_ fatter than that! _You're_ not fat. You don't look that old, either."

"Lucy! That's... not quite nice," Nora scolded. She found it odd when Deb and Bill didn't reprimand their daughter for her frankness, choosing to laugh instead. She was even more surprised when the Santa laughed as well. He stood up and shook his head.

"Never could pull one over on _you_ , Luce... you're way too smart," 'Santa' chuckled. Lucy's eyes widened with recognition at the same time Nora gasped. Nora _absolutely_ knew that voice. She felt all the blood drain from her face in an instant.

"...U... Uncle Nate?" Lucy murmured in wonder.

The Santa reached up and pulled down his white beard, revealing Nate's grinning face.

"Surprise!" he exclaimed.

" _Uncle Nate!_ " Lucy shrieked, flinging herself into his arms. He laughed and gave her a tight hug, then looked up at Nora, whose eyes had quickly filled up with tears.

"...Merry Christmas, sweetheart," he said softly, releasing his niece.

Nora bit her bottom lip and moved to stand in front of him, hardly daring to believe her eyes. She raised a hand slowly and grazed her fingertips across his cheek.

"...You're real... it's really you," she breathed.

"It's really me," he confirmed, and gently wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Urgh... you're not gonna kiss her now, are you?" Lucy grunted and scrunched up her face.

All the adults laughed as Bill reached over to ruffle Lucy's hair.

"Why don't you get changed for dinner, 'Santa'?" Debra teased. "Then we can all sit down and eat."

Nora stared at her for a few seconds, then at Bill. Her mouth dropped open.

"...Did you two know have a hand in this?" she asked. They simply grinned and shrugged. She picked up a napkin and tossed it at them. "Ohh, you're both awful!"

They laughed again as she wiped her eyes, then gave them both a tight hug.

"You're also both wonderful," she murmured.

"I think I deserve a _little_ credit," she heard behind her. She turned to Nate and laughed as she looked him up and down, taking him in again.

"...Where'd you get that suit, anyway?" she inquired. "It looks like it's... seen better days."

"Hey, _you_ try finding a Santa suit at the last minute," Nate joked.

Nora smiled and shook her head. "All right Kringle - let's get you into some normal clothes."

"I left your bag in the spare bedroom," Bill told Nate.

He nodded his thanks and started to head there with Nora when Lucy gave his arm a gentle tug.

"...I don't mind that you weren't really Santa, Uncle Nate," she said with a small smile. "I'm still really happy that you're here."

Nate leaned down and kissed her cheek gently.

"Thanks Luce," he smiled back.

Once he and Nora were in the spare bedroom and Nate had shut the door behind them, Nora threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply. Nate kissed her back and grinned devilishly when she finally pulled away.

"So... I take it you really missed me then?" he asked wryly. Nora smiled back, but Nate's expression fell when he sensed something looked... 'off' about her demeanor.

"Honey... what is it? Is something wrong?" he asked warily.

"No, nothing's 'wrong'..." she said, shaking her head and taking a deep breath. "Everything is... very right."

Nate raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. She turned away from him and reached for a small package that she'd stowed away in her suitcase, then handed it to him. She hadn't planned on it being opened for another week or two (when Nate was _supposed_ to join them all at her sister's house), but...

"You gave me a Christmas present already, so I want to return the favor," she said.

He stared at her curiously for a couple seconds, then looked down at the package and began unwrapping it. He realized it was some kind of picture frame and turned it over it his hands.

The picture was mostly black, but there was something outlined in it in white. It took a few seconds for it to sink in what exactly he was looking at. His throat immediately felt dry and tight.

"Nora..." he whispered hoarsely, "...is this...?"

Nora nodded, her eyes tearing up again.

"...a sonogram," she murmured.

Nate gaped at her in complete and utter shock for several long moments before he somehow found his voice again.

"We're... gonna have a baby?"

She nodded again, a soft smile appearing on her face.

"W-when?" he croaked.

"Around late August, maybe September," she replied, growing a little anxious not knowing if Nate was happy or not about the news. When he remained silent for a couple more seconds, she began to shift uncomfortably.

"...Pl... please say something?" she begged quietly, wringing her hands.

Nate looked down at the sonogram, then back up at Nora again.

Without any warning, he suddenly whooped loudly and spun her around almost violently in his arms.

It took a moment for Nora's brain to catch up to her racing pulse. She laughed breathlessly and hugged him tightly, then pulled away to look into his eyes, which were now becoming moist as well.

"So... you're happy?" she confirmed.

" _Happy?"_ Nate repeated incredulously. He leaned his forehead against hers and grinned, his whole face lit up. "Nora... we're gonna be parents!" He stroked her cheek as a tear escaped one of his eyes. "You're gonna be a momma," he murmured tenderly. "I love you _so_ much."

Nora sniffed, tears beginning to run down her cheeks as well. She kissed him lovingly and giggled.

"You're gonna be a daddy," she sighed back. "I love you so much too."

As Nate laughed and spun her around again, she couldn't recall a moment in her life when she'd ever felt so happy.

* * *

 _December 24th, 2287_

"Well, that could have gone smoother," Paladin Danse said to Nora on their way back to the Cambridge Police Station. "But... mission accomplished. Your extra gun gave us the edge we needed. I'm not certain I could have accomplished the mission at ArcJet alone."

Dogmeat gave a small bark at their sides, and Danse looked down at him in mild amusement.

"...I suppose we also had help from your small companion," he mused. "Your canine is well-trained, citizen."

Nora wasn't quite sure where to go from here. She may have helped Danse, but he was clearly _much_ more skilled than her in battle - and it wasn't just due to the power armor he wore.

"I... thought we worked well as a team," she replied sheepishly.

"Agreed," he said. "It's a refreshing change to work with a civilian who can follow orders properly." He stopped walking and turned towards her. "That being said, I believe we have two important matters to discuss. First and foremost - if you'll hand me the Deep Range Transmitter, I'd like to compensate you for your assistance during this operation."

Once she handed the tech to him, he unslung the laser rifle from his back and held it out to her.

"I think you'll find this weapon useful. It's my own personal modification of the standard Brotherhood laser rifle. May it serve you well in battle."

Nora's jaw dropped open, not expecting that.

"Your gun? I... I couldn't take this from you... don't _you_ need to keep it?"

Danse shook his head.

"This isn't the only weapon at my disposal - Brotherhood soldiers _always_ carry a backup."

When she tried to refuse again, he gently pushed the weapon against her hands.

"I insist you keep it. The Brotherhood believes in paying all of its debts." He paused, then raised an eyebrow. "Besides - even though you _did_ assist us back at the police department, I'd be surprised if _your_ rifle lasted much longer. It appears to be in... 'rough shape'. It would be _irresponsible_ of me to let you brave the Commonwealth with inadequate weaponry."

She hesitated, then took the laser rifle from him gingerly.

"...Thank you Paladin," she replied. Looking down at the gun, she admired the care he'd clearly taken to maintain it. She turned it over in her hands, noticing words engraved in the side: _'Righteous Authority'_. He nodded as she hoisted the weapon over her shoulder.

"Now - as far as the second matter goes, I wanted to make you a proposal," he continued. "We had a lot thrown at us back there. Our op could have ended in disaster, but you kept your cool and handled it like a soldier. The way I see it, you've got a choice: You could spend the rest of your life wandering from place to place, trading an extra hand for a meager reward - or you could join the Brotherhood of Steel and make your mark on the world. So, what do you say?"

"Y... you want me to join the Brotherhood of Steel?" Nora asked, her eyebrows rising in surprise.

"There's no doubt in my mind that you've got what it takes," Danse confirmed.

"...What would be expected of me if I joined?"

"You'd be under my command, and I'd expect you to follow orders. You'd have access to advanced military weapons, as well as your own suit of power armor. Most importantly, you'd have the Brotherhood at your back - ready to spill its own blood to keep you alive."

Nora paused, considering her options and priorities. She didn't want to turn her back on the Minutemen, but... access to advanced military weapons and her own suit of power armor? (And not just the rusty suit she'd gotten from Concord!) Trained soldiers to aid her? She didn't want to abuse Danse's offer, but this was a huge advantage to help her track down and rescue Shaun from the Institute - one she didn't think she could refuse.

"I... _would_ be honored to join," she replied. "But... there's something else very important that I need to take care of first. Is there any way I can take you up on your offer later?"

Danse nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "If and when you decide you want to become one of us, you know where we are. In the meantime, you're welcome to some of our supplies before you move on."

* * *

Back at the Cambridge Police Department, Danse had left the others in the main foyer after handing their newly-acquired tech to Scribe Haylen. Knight Rhys had proceeded to grill Nora about her decision to possibly join the Brotherhood in the future. It had been a very long day, and her patience was almost entirely used up. She threw her hands up in the air and groaned, exasperated with him.

"Is there _any_ way to earn your respect?" she demanded impatiently.

"Do what you're told, keep your head down, and your mouth shut," he retorted. "In fact, I can't figure out why you're even sticking around. You got what you wanted, so why don't you hit the road?"

"Rhys-" Haylen started to reprimand him, but Nora felt herself snap and interrupted.

"Because the Brotherhood may be the best chance I'll ever have to find my infant son!" she spat out hastily, then grunted and mentally kicked herself for her carelessness. Both Rhys and Haylen's mouths dropped open, and there were several seconds of painful silence before Rhys coughed awkwardly.

"...Well... as far as reasons go... I guess that's a pretty good one..." he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck while he shifted his weight.

They were all suddenly disturbed by the sound of a throat clearing. Three sets of eyes snapped over to the doorway to see Paladin Danse staring at Nora.

 _'Shit... did he hear that too?'_ she wondered anxiously.

He studied her for a few more seconds before he turned his head to Rhys.

"Knight... with me. Perimeter check," he said flatly.

Rhys recovered stiffly and nodded, following Danse back out of the room. Nora watched them, lost in thought for a few seconds.

"...Why does he hate me?" she wondered.

"He doesn't hate you," Haylen replied, causing Nora to jump. She didn't realize she'd spoken aloud and had forgotten that Haylen was still in the room. "Rhys bleeds Brotherhood. It's all he cares about. It's his family, his whole life. If anything else comes into the picture and gets in the way... he shoves it aside." She sighed, and after a brief pause, walked closer to Nora and gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"...Just... give him some time. He'll come around eventually. It may not seem like it, but both he _and_ Danse are good men. They're just all soldier - protocol is their bread and butter. Rhys... well, let's just say he's as hard-headed as a Mister Gutsy. But you know what? I'd trust both if them with my life, because they're good people, and that's hard to come by nowadays."

Nora gazed at Haylen curiously, not quite sure what to make of the scribe.

"...Why are you cutting me so much slack?" she murmured. Haylen smiled back gently.

"I, uh... joined the Brotherhood not too long ago. I used to be like you - wandering alone." She glanced down at the dog sitting at Nora's side and chuckled. "Well... sort of alone. So... I know what it feels like when every single person you bump into sticks a gun in your face."

She removed her hand from Nora's shoulder and stepped back.

"Anyway, it's getting kind of late. We've all had a long day and could probably use some rest." She gestured to a room off to the left. "There's a spare room for you and your dog to sleep in. If you need anything, the rest of us will be taking turns keeping watch throughout the night."

Nora nodded as Haylen walked off towards another room. She looked down at her Pip-Boy, curious as to what time it was - 8:45pm. She hadn't realized so much time had gone by since she'd left Sanctuary that morning. She yawned and rubbed her back, her muscles suddenly feeling stiff and sore.

"Come on Dogmeat," she mumbled, casting the dog a quick glance. "Let's-"

She blinked and froze, a thought suddenly occurring to her. She pulled the Pip-Boy screen back up towards her face in a flash, focusing on the date to the left of the time.

 **12.24.2287**

She stared at the screen for several long moments, her brain not comprehending the data in front of her at first.

"Christmas Eve..." she whispered. "It's... Christmastime?"

She looked down at Dogmeat, who tilted his head at her curiously.

 _'I didn't even realize...'_ she thought, a wave of sadness washing over her. _'So much has happened, and I've been so busy... it hasn't even gotten cold... and with things in the Commonwealth the way they are...'_

No one around her had talked about it or even mentioned it in passing - not her new acquaintances, nor the Sanctuary residents or anyone she'd come across in the Commonwealth - the ones that didn't try to kill her, that is.

 _'...And why would they?'_ she wondered bitterly. _'...What is there to even celebrate in this place?'_

She sniffed and tried to ignore the tears starting to brim in her eyes, suddenly feeling more exhausted than she'd felt in quite a while.

* * *

Later that night, Danse raised an armored hand to knock on the door of the civilian's sleeping quarters and paused.

 _'Maybe this could wait until morning...'_ , he thought. Even though she'd been quite helpful to them, this woman wasn't a soldier - was there a need to hold her to the same standards as one? After a moment's pause, he nodded to himself. If her earlier desire to join the Brotherhood was genuine, she would have to get used to the way they operated, like it or not.

He raised his hand again and knocked on the door. No response.

"...Citizen?" he called out. "I believe we need to have a word."

...Still nothing. _Hmm_.

He reluctantly pushed open the door and peered through the shadows. It took his eyes a couple seconds to adjust to the darkness, but after blinking a few times he realized the room was empty - not even the woman's dog was inside.

He backed out of the doorway and gazed at the other closed doors in the main foyer. Haylen and Rhys had turned in when Danse had started his watch, and the building was now silent.

 _'...Could she have left the station earlier tonight? She had seemed interested in joining the Brotherhood, especially after... but she did mention that there was some business she needed to accomplish first...'_

He heard a soft _thump_ above his head and automatically raised his eyes towards the ceiling.

 _'...The roof...'_ he realized.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he reached the door at the top and headed outside. After looking around for a few seconds, he finally spotted her with her back to him, sitting at the roof's edge - her legs dangling over the side. Her dog was sitting next to her, and she had one arm slung around its shoulders. In her opposite hand, she was staring down at something very small.

He didn't want to spook her, so he cleared his throat gently while he approached. She straightened up immediately and shoved whatever she'd been looking at hastily under the collar of her vault suit. He thought he heard her sniffle, but pretended not to notice.

"Civilian," he greeted, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. "I... hoped we could have a chat."

* * *

Nora stared out over the Commonwealth - the land that used to be her home. If she hadn't known differently, she never would have recognized it. She sighed and wiped at her eyes, trying not to think of where she'd been one ye- well... what _felt_ like one year ago to her - when in actuality, it'd been _211_ years ago.

Dogmeat whimpered quietly at her side and pawed at her thigh. She draped an arm around him and gave him a gentle squeeze. She wasn't even aware that she'd slid Nate's wedding band out from underneath her collar until she blinked and realized she'd been staring at it for at least several seconds. Her eyes followed it as she moved it from left to right on the leather cord she wore around her neck, her mind a jumble of thoughts.

 _'...I'm working on it, honey,'_ she thought glumly. _'Kellogg will pay for everything he's done. I swear it.'_

Suddenly she heard a metallic _clank_ , followed by a throat clearing. She stiffened where she sat and quickly tucked the ring back under her collar. Sniffling, she wiped her eyes again as inconspicuously as she could.

"Civilian," she heard Paladin Danse say, "I... hoped we could have a chat."

 _'...Now?'_ She wanted to groan, but turned to look at him. She was a little surprised to see that he looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Something... troubling you, Paladin?" she inquired. The soldier shook his head and walked closer to her.

"No. Well... not quite," he said evasively.

She raised an eyebrow at him and he appeared to collect his thoughts, then gestured to the side of her not occupied by Dogmeat.

"May I?" he asked.

After she nodded, he pulled a nearby metal storage container over and sat down next to her (...as well as one could do in power armor, that is). He was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"Back at ArcJet, you appeared eager to enlist in the Brotherhood of Steel - but you informed me that you had a prior commitment to undertake first," he began.

Nora swallowed nervously and nodded again. She didn't like where this conversation was heading.

"I don't normally pry into the private lives of my soldiers, or would-be soldiers," he continued carefully. "However, the Brotherhood has had some trouble in the past with recruiting Wastelanders and other... 'outsiders', if you'll pardon the term. Many of them were people who vowed to uphold the values and ideals of the Brotherhood, but unfortunately turned out to be nothing more than troublemakers and delinquents - civilians only seeking personal gain or an outlet to unleash their bloodlust onto other innocents. We've had to strip them of their ranks and dismiss them back into the riffraff they came from - or punish them justly for their more severe actions."

He narrowed his eyes at her and paused. When he spoke again, his voice had taken on a darker tone.

"The Brotherhood of Steel isn't just 'important' to me - it is _everything_ to me. I assure you - if you mean to cause _any_ trouble to our organization or have _any_ ill-intent in your motives-"

"Woah, woah, woah - hang on a second!" Nora interrupted, holding her hands up in front of her defensively. "Now look... you don't know me, and I can understand and respect that - but I don't want to cause _any_ trouble to you, or anyone _else_ in your... 'army', or what have you. I would _never_ hurt anyone innocent on purpose, and if I ever _did_... well..." She took a deep breath and looked him square in the eyes, wanting to show her sincerity. "...Then I suppose I would _deserve_ whatever punishment you saw fit to give me."

Danse stared at her intensely for several seconds, and Nora had a feeling he was doing his best to size her up. After what felt like a long time, he nodded and relaxed his posture a little, appearing satisfied with her answer.

"I only ask for _two_ things from anyone under my command," he said, "honesty, and respect. As you put it so eloquently - I _don't_ know you. You _did_ provide a great deal of help to me and my squad earlier - first with the feral ghouls, and then by assisting me at ArcJet. However, if you _truly_ wish to be a part of the Brotherhood, you'll have to accommodate me just a little bit more. It's my duty to inform our Elder about what kind of person aided us today when we contact him tomorrow. I need to know what your background is."

When Nora stiffened up, he narrowed his eyes at her.

"I have to be one hundred percent sure you aren't a threat to us," he insisted. "If your intentions are truly benevolent, you can imagine that it doesn't look good to have a potential recruit that refuses to answer _any_ personal questions about herself."

She considered his words briefly, then sighed and ran her hands through her hair.

 _'He has a point. It's only fair...'_

"...All right," she conceded. "You've all accommodated me today - and if I'm going to fight beside you in the future, it's only right that you know what kind of a person you're training and placing your trust into."

* * *

"...Once things were settled with the others in Sanctuary, I decided to head out on my own for a bit to try and find some leads on my son."

Nora took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It had been difficult to recap everything that had happened to her since the bombs dropped... but she knew it was necessary if she was going to gain Paladin Danse's trust. She couldn't blame him for wanting to protect his fellow soldiers, especially with the Brotherhood's trouble recruiting reputable people in the past. Her eyes had drifted downwards as she'd neared the end of her story, but now she looked up warily at Danse, unsure if he'd believed her or not.

He just stared at her blankly. Nora couldn't blame him - if someone had told her a tale about being cryogenically frozen for over 200 years, she'd be skeptical too. After a long, uncomfortable silence, he inhaled slowly.

"Let me just... make sure I understand all of this," he said, rubbing a hand over his now-furrowed brow. "You mean to tell me that... you're not only over _two hundred_ years old, but that you also existed _before_ the great war happened?"

"I was born in the year 2053. I guess I'm... 234 years old, if you're being technical," she replied, after a brief pause to calculate the number in her head. "But if you consider my age paused when I was frozen, then I'm only 24."

Danse puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled and shook his head, still trying to process all of the information he'd just been given.

"...I'd heard about how Vault-Tec experimented on many of the vaults they built... they were meant to safeguard civilians from danger, not subject them to a different _form_ of it. The horrors inflicted in some of them... it makes my skin crawl. But something like _this_ \- cryogenically freezing people... as far as I know, it's unheard of."

He looked up at Nora and scrutinized her for a few seconds.

"...If you were going to lie and make up a story to get into our good graces, I doubt you would have come up with one so elaborate and far-fetched. Besides - you don't exactly have the look of someone who's spent a lifetime out in the Wasteland. With all due respect, you appear to be in... almost _unusually_ good shape. As incredible as your story is... it _does_ make some sense."

His face fell as he continued.

"I... _am_ sorry for the loss of your family," he murmured softly.

She bit her bottom lip and looked away. She'd already spent the earlier part of the night crying... she didn't want to start up again, least of all in front of _him_.

"I can't... I just want to find my son... get justice for my husband..." she trailed off.

Danse shook his head, lost in thought momentarily.

"It's never easy to accept the unexpected or unjust death of a loved one," he mumbled. "All you can do is move forward and try not to let it haunt you. Believe me, I know..."

When Nora looked back up at him curiously, he shook his head again and met her eyes.

"Is... that why you're up here?" he asked her carefully. "Because you were reminiscing about the past?"

She raised her eyebrows and stared at him.

"Don't... you know what day it is?" she finally asked, incredulous.

 _'What day it is?'_ Danse thought. _'...What does that have to do with anything?'_

Since arriving in the Commonwealth, his squad had experienced misfortune after misfortune, and one day had simply blended into another. He doubted this vault dweller was expecting him to know anything personal about her... but as far as he could think of, today was nothing out of the ordinary - for _him_ , anyway.

"...Should I?" he asked, confused.

Nora frowned. "It's... Christmas Eve," she said softly. "Tomorrow's Christmas."

"Oh... already? I must have lost track," he responded, not sounding too stirred by the news.

She turned away from him and looked out over the Commonwealth with a sigh. "...I guess things don't get too... 'festive' up here, do they?" she murmured.

"The Brotherhood back at the Citadel sometimes has a small festivity - but it's often a minor affair, and then back to business as usual," he remarked. When Nora gazed at him sadly, he shrugged. "You'll find that ferals, raiders, and super mutants don't usually take a holiday," he added with some cheek.

"No... I suppose they don't," she responded dully.

Danse stared at her for a moment. "What was the holiday like for you? In- er... 'your time'?"

"Well... some years we'd have snow on the ground, other years we wouldn't get quite so lucky. People would decorate their houses and put up a Christmas tree - either a real one or an artificial one. There'd be holiday baking, Christmas carols, and... people would give each other gifts. Even nearing the brink of war - it was still a time of peace, of goodwill toward all men. Of laughter, caring, family, and love. It was a time of year that tended to bring out the best in _everyone_." She sighed wistfully. "...Not so much _now_."

"That all sounds... quite elaborate," he said. "I bet it was a sight to see. So... this is your first holiday-"

"-Alone," Nora finished for him. Dogmeat gave her a small whine and she jumped a little, having almost forgotten that he was there. She stroked the bridge of his nose and he licked her hand gratefully.

Danse's lips tightened, feeling somewhat awkward about the whole situation. It had been difficult enough when Haylen had come to him for comfort in her time of need - what was he supposed to do _here?_ Christmas may have been a big affair in the civilian's time, but in _this_ day and age, well... one was just happy to wake up alive and (relatively) healthy every day.

After a moment's thought, an idea came to him. His head swiveled around to search his surroundings. Where was...

 _'Ah - there it is,'_ he thought, spotting what he was looking for - a small stockpile of provisions one of his previous soldiers had stowed behind a storage crate. He stood and headed over to it, aware of the woman and her canine watching him curiously. After bending down to grab a couple items, he walked back over to them and sat once more.

Nora didn't know what the Paladin had carried back with him or what he was up to, but watched as he made a twisting motion with something in his hand. An odd ' _psst_ ' sound was heard, then Danse held something out to her in his armored hand. It took Nora a second to realize what it was - a now-open bottle of Nuka Cola.

Her eyes moved from the bottle back to Danse, who peered at her expectantly. He cleared his throat and shifted in a anxious manner.

"I... know this is a poor substitute for what you may have lost, or what you may be used to this time of year," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, "but... we don't have much here, and I doubt ammunition is the most... 'appropriate' sentiment for this occasion."

Her eyes drifted back down to the glass bottle, and she was silent for a few more seconds before a soft laugh escaped her lips. She took the drink from him and smiled.

"Well... you _did_ give me a gun already," she teased, satisfied when this drew a smile from the soldier as well. "Thank you, Danse."

A soft beep from her left wrist diverted her attention, and she looked down at it to inspect her Pip-Boy.

"Midnight," she mumbled. She looked back up at Danse and paused, then lifted her bottle in a mock-toast. "Well... Merry Christmas, Paladin."

Danse uncapped a Nuka Cola of his own and held it up as well.

"Merry Christmas, citizen."

She blinked and shook her head with a chuckle. "I helped save you from ferals, then almost roasted you. ...I think it's safe to address me by name instead of 'citizen' or 'civilian' by now." She switched her bottle to her left hand and held her right up to him in greeting.

"...Nora D- ...Taylor," she recovered at the last second, deciding to go with her maiden name.

Danse raised an eyebrow, but decided not to question the stumble - for now. He moved his bottle to his other hand as well and gently shook her hand.

"Nice to _officially_ meet you, Taylor," he said. After they moved their drinks back to their dominant hands, Nora held hers up again.

"To..." she paused, searching for the appropriate toast. "...To a better future," she decided, "...whatever it may have in store for us."

Danse smiled and clinked his bottle against hers. "To a better future," he agreed.


End file.
